Spain sets Digital Nomad Visa income floor at 2,849 euros a month

Spain sets Digital Nomad Visa floor at €2,849 a month

Remote workers looking at moving to Spain must clear a monthly income threshold of €2,849 ($3,077) under the country's Digital Nomad Visa.

Minimum earnings tied to national wage

The financial requirements for the telework visa operate on a fixed statutory formula established by Spain's Startup Law (Ley 28/2022). Rather than setting an arbitrary benchmark, Spanish immigration rules peg the minimum income directly to the national minimum wage, known as the Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI).

Under Real Decreto 126/2026, the single-applicant threshold stands at 200% of the SMI. Bringing dependents adds substantial financial requirements to the application:

• Single applicant: €2,849 ($3,077) per month or €34,188 ($36,923) annually
• Main applicant plus one dependent: roughly €3,917 ($4,230) per month (an extra 75% of SMI)
• Main applicant plus two dependents: roughly €4,273 ($4,615) per month (an extra 25% of SMI for the second dependent)
• Each subsequent dependent: approximately €357 ($386) per month

Anyone submitting an initial application or processing a renewal must meet these wage-adjusted benchmarks.

Core eligibility rules and application steps

Beyond meeting the baseline earnings, applicants must show verifiable proof of stable, recurring income derived from remote work. Spanish consulates accept both salaried remote employees and self-employed contractors, provided they meet standard evidentiary requirements:

• Non-Spanish income source: At least 80% of professional earnings must originate from clients or employers located outside Spain.
• Work history: Freelancers must present established client contracts, while employees need remote-work agreements spanning at least three months.
• Professional background: Candidates must hold a university degree, vocational credential or at least three years of documented industry experience.
• Background checks and coverage: Clean criminal record certificates from every country lived in over recent years, alongside private health insurance valid across Spain.

The catch that catches many remote contractors off guard is the foreign revenue ceiling. Taking on domestic freelance work in Spain is permitted, but exceeding the 20% local earnings limit invalidates the permit. Applicants can file either abroad through a Spanish consulate or switch status directly while physically inside Spain.